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Can the Empire of Chaos apply 'controlled chaos' and remain hegemon?

Dmitry Orlov
Club Orlov
Tue, 10 Mar 2015 19:12 UTC
Image

The dollar black hole
The term "chaos" has been popping up a lot lately in the increasingly collapse-prone world in which we find ourselves. Pepe Escobar has even published a book on it. Titled Empire of Chaos, it describes a scenario "where a[n American] plutocracy progressively projects its own internal disintegration upon the whole world." Escobar's chaos is tailor-made; its purpose is "to prevent an economic integration of Eurasia that would leave the U.S. a non-hegemon, or worse still, an outsider."

Escobar is not the only one thinking along these lines; here is Vladimir Putin speaking at the Valdai Conference in 2014:
A unilateral diktat and imposing one's own models produces the opposite result. Instead of settling conflicts it leads to their escalation, instead of sovereign and stable states we see the growing spread of chaos, and instead of democracy there is support for a very dubious public ranging from open neo-fascists to Islamic radicals.

Why do they support such people? They do this because they decide to use them as instruments along the way in achieving their goals but then burn their fingers and recoil. I never cease to be amazed by the way that our partners just keep stepping on the same rake, as we say here in Russia, that is to say, make the same mistake over and over.
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Eye 1

Russian spy chief visits Washington amid Ukraine talks


Stratfor
Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:28 UTC
Bortnikov
© RIA Novosti/Alexey Nikolskiy
Alexander Bortnikov
The world is watching as the cease-fire in Ukraine progresses on shaky ground and France and Germany lead a spate of negotiations. However, Moscow's eyes are on Washington, where one of Russia's most powerful men — Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Services, or FSB — arrived Wednesday.

The same day, Kiev took another important step in implementing the cease-fire when it withdrew its forces from the eastern Ukrainian city of Debaltseve, a key location along the demarcation line where heavy fighting was still taking place. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the cease-fire between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatist forces is largely being observed across the front line except in Debaltseve, which Lavrov called the "cauldron."

Even as Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko continued to deny that Russian-backed separatists had encircled Ukrainian troops in Debaltseve, the Ukrainian forces' retreat from the city was effectively a recognition by the Ukrainian leader that he had no choice but to give into the demands of Russia and his European counterparts. These parties were not about to see the Minsk agreement fall apart because of one battle where the separatists clearly had the upper hand.

Comment: So what was discussed? Given the timing, it's obvious Bortnikov wasn't just there to attend a Summit on extremism...

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Padlock

US to shut embassy and consulates in Saudi Arabia over security concerns


Sputnik
Sun, 15 Mar 2015 16:34 UTC
Image
© Flickr/ hamza82
The US diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia said that the United States is planning to shut down its Saudi embassy in Riyadh and two consulates general for the next two days.

The United States is planning to shut down its Saudi embassy in Riyadh and two consulates general for the next two days over security concerns, the US diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia said Sunday.

A statement issued by the embassy said that, "Due to heightened security concerns at U.S. diplomatic facilities in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates have cancelled all consular services in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran for Sunday, March 15 and Monday, March 16, 2015."

Comment: Seems strange it is only for two days.

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Blackbox

Where's Putin? Probably working, as usual


Colonel Cassad
Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:57 UTC
putin
On the topic of persistent questions asked in the comments regarding "Putin's disappearance" from the media field.

My personal subjective view is that he will show up in public in the coming few days. Furthermore, this appearance will be associated with the development of the situation in the Ukraine, which is currently hanging in the balance, on the border of a large-scale war. Actually, the way I see it is that the effective undermining of the Minsk agreements by the junta is a sufficient reason for him to think and prepare to make certain decisions.

Today is the last official day when the Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine should pass a bill that implements the special status of the former Donetsk and Lugansk regions. If this decision won't be made today, then this will be a direct violation of the "complex of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements". The temporal interval between the 15th and the 20th of March also starts tomorrow. This interval is indicated by various sources as a possible time of the resumption of large-scale military action by the initiative of the Kiev junta.

Comment: This is probably the most reasonable explanation for Putin's recent lack of media appearances. But if you want ridiculous, just check out these: 5 Most Ridiculous Theories About the Whereabouts of Vladimir Putin

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Mr. Potato

Gen. Rob 'Kill Russians' Scales: Whuh? They watch Fox in Russkiyland?


RT
Sun, 15 Mar 2015 15:48 UTC
robert scales
© YouTube/American Security Project
Robert H. Scales: Don't misunderstand me. I didn't say 'kill Russians'. I said 'kill Russians!"
Seemingly unfazed by the outrage his comments on Fox Business Channel have caused, the former US general who thinks the only solution to the Ukraine conflict is to "start killing Russians" has defended his stance, again speaking to Fox.

Robert H. Scales, the retired United States Army major general whose outburst was aired by Fox on Tuesday, did not have to justify his comments as such, as he was invited for a cozy conversation with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren to jokingly discuss the reaction to his remarks.

Responding to the news that the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal probe into his statements on charges of public calls for starting an aggressive war made in the media, and that his remarks violated article 20 of the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that bans any propaganda of war and instigation of discrimination, hatred or violence, Scales shrugged it off by branding it "a Russian form of war."

"It's the Russia version of the First Amendment - five years in prison if you say something that makes [Russian President] Vladimir Putin angry," Scales told Fox News.

Comment: If this is the mental quality of American generals, it sure explains a lot. You can bet a country is on a sure path to destruction when its media can 'jokingly' discuss genocidal comments. But that's what happens when you let psychopaths take over.

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Attention

Ex-CSIS scurries to deny CSIS-ISIS link

Brandon Martinez
Non-Aligned Media
Sat, 14 Mar 2015 15:37 UTC
boisvert

Ex-CSIS assistant director Ray Boisvert spins stories for his former employer.
Ray Boisvert, a former assistant director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), has been busy trying to deflect blame from his former employer in the developing scandal involving an alleged CSIS asset who helped three British schoolgirls and others join ISIS.

Boisvert's impetus is to shield CSIS and the Canadian state when their hand is exposed in duplicitous activity at home and abroad. He has frequently appeared as a pundit on mainstream media programs, and unsurprisingly was trotted out by the usual suspects to comment on revelations that a Syrian national who spied for CSIS was acting as a liaison for ISIS, helping Westerners travel through Turkey to join the militant group in Syria.

The former CSIS big-wig told media that:
If [the suspected ISIS liaison Mohammed Mehmet] Rashid worked in some capacity for CSIS, and based on reports his computer contained images of passport and travel documents of several apparent ISIL recruits, it's conceivable he was actually gathering intelligence for CSIS about those recruits and the methods, logistics and contacts for spiriting them into Syria.

Comment: And we suppose all those U.S./UK helicopters and jets just have really bad coordinates when they drop all that aid and weaponry for ISIS in Iraq and Syria! Oh, and those U.S./Israeli 'military advisers' for ISIS found in Iraq? Top-secret double agents working hard for their countries to gather useful intelligence in the war against ISIS. Give us a break, Boisvert. No one's buying it.


Comment: Since when have Western intelligence agencies allowed anything so trivial as the law to get in their way? Does this guy think we're all naive idiots? And as for "the spy agency's current mandate", oh please! "Official mandates" are designed for public consumption. CSIS's mandate may have 'prevented' Rashid from stopping the girls from reaching Syria, for sure. But that could have been the point.

See also: Canadian intel agent linked with getting British schoolgirls into Syria to join ISIS

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Георгиевская ленточка

Behind the Headlines: Interview with Charles Bausman, Russia Insider

Sott Editors
Sott.net
Sun, 15 Mar 2015 19:00 UTC
Charles Bausman
This week on Behind the Headlines we spoke with Charles Bausman, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Russia Insider. Charles has worked in finance in Russia since the early 1990s. Noticing strong anti-Russian bias in Western media that didn't square with the country they knew, Charles and some friends pooled together last summer to create their hard-hitting news portal, and have recently launched a crowdfunding appeal on Kickstarter as they seek to grow their not-for-profit project to topics beyond Russia.

Running Time: 01:51:00

Download: MP3

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Megaphone

'Freedom in jeopardy': Thousands rally across Canada against new anti-terror law


RT
Sun, 15 Mar 2015 00:47 UTC
Image

A still from YouTube video by Brent Morton
Thousands of demonstrators have united across Canada to take action against proposed anti-terrorism legislation known as Bill C-51, which would expand the powers of police and the nation's spy agency, especially when it comes to detaining terror suspects.

Organizers of the 'Day of Action' said that "over 70 communities" across Canada were planning to participate on Saturday, according to StopC51.ca.


The biggest gatherings were reported in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Halifax.

"I'm really worried about democracy, this country is going in a really bad direction, [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper is taking it in a really bad direction," protester Stuart Basden from Toronto, the Canadian city which saw hundreds of people come out, told The Star.

"Freedom to speak out against the government is probably [in] jeopardy...even if you're just posting stuff online you could be targeted, so it's a really terrifying bill," Basden added.


The ruling Conservative government tabled the legislation back in January, arguing that the new law would improve the safety of Canadians.


Comment: See also: Canada's State Policeman's Bill: C-51, legal opinion

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War Whore

Why the media silence on Lindsey Graham's vow to use the military to force vote in Congress?

Bill Van Auken
World Socialist Web Site
Sat, 14 Mar 2015 05:10 UTC
Image
© Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Senator Lindsey Graham
The protracted 2016 presidential campaign cycle has already begun, and with it the close attention of the media to the statements made by prospective candidates in hopes of discovering even the slightest "gaffe" that can be turned into a political news item.

All the more odd then that the remarks made at a New Hampshire town hall meeting by one Republican presidential hopeful, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have been virtually blacked out by all of the major print and broadcast outlets.

Asked by a member of the audience what he would do about automatic cuts to the Pentagon budget that would go into effect because of sequestration, Graham responded that the problem had left him sick to his stomach.

He continued: "And here is the first thing I would do if I were President of the United States: I wouldn't let Congress leave town until we fix this. I would literally use the military to keep them in if I had to. We're not leaving town until we restore these defense cuts. We're not leaving town until we restore the intel cuts."

The statement is extraordinary. A candidate for the presidency of the United States vows that, once elected, he would use the military to impose his—and its—will upon a recalcitrant Congress. Presumably, troops would hold members of the House and Senate at gunpoint until they produced the results demanded.

Comment: It sure doesn't read like a joke. And, it's not funny. Just another sign of creeping fascism in the United States.

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Bad Guys

Berlin professor sees Germany as the "taskmaster" of Europe

Peter Schwartz
World Socialist Web Site
Sat, 14 Mar 2015 05:03 UTC
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© Claudia Höhne/Körber-Stiftung
"In the long run, the role of 'paymaster' can only be played by one who is also ready to play the difficult role of 'taskmaster'," writes Herfried Münkler in his new book Macht in der Mitte (Power in the Center). The Berlin political scientist openly argues for German hegemony in Europe. Germany has "become the central power in Europe," writes Münkler, and must "play the corresponding role."

Münkler justifies German claims to hegemony on the grounds that "the European integration process has come to a standstill" and its resumption cannot "be expected for the time being."

"The idea that a European nation could one day emerge from the European project" has failed, says Münkler. Due to the longstanding economic crisis in France, the "Berlin-Paris Axis" has "become in the last years a German center." Under these circumstances Germany is obliged as the "power in the center" to take on the task of "holding Europe together" and of "getting Europeans into line."

"Germany must lead in Europe," demands Münkler. He adds that the country will have to proceed carefully, something that "should not be confused with hesitancy and indecision." The role of a "power in the center" can "no longer be confined to that of a financial regulator," but includes "determined political and economic leadership."
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